The spiritual lineage of Presbyterians traces back to the great Scottish reformer, John Knox. They were among the first to brave the ire of established tradition and stand unflinchingly for truth. Not all of their beliefs are free of error, however. Following are a few of the doctrines held by Presbyterians that are entwined with error.
- Presbyterians teach the doctrine of “original sin” or, that every child of Adam has inherited Adam’s guilt. While all have inherited a fallen nature with both inherited and cultivated tendencies to sin, Scripture declares: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 18:20)
- Presbyterians practice infant baptism. This contradicts Presbyterians’ own stated reasons for baptism! “Baptism calls to repentance, to faithfulness, and to discipleship.” (Book of Order, W-2.3006) A baby too young to understand the plan of salvation, cannot comprehend repentance or redeeming love. When the Ethiopian eunuch asked Philip, “What hinders me from being baptized?” Philip’s response set the prerequisite for baptism: “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” (See Acts 8:36-37.) The error of original sin creates a felt-need for a child to be baptized as soon as possible. This removes baptism as an act of faith and makes it a work necessary for salvation.
- Presbyterians cling to the ancient pagan doctrine of a three-in-one godhead. This pagan mystery contradicts Scripture which clearly states: “Hear, O Israel; Yahuwah our Eloah is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4) The Bible makes plain that Yahushua, while born of a virgin, is a human being - not a diety.
- Presbyterians promote the Calvinist theology of predestination: the idea that Yahuwah predestines some lucky people to be saved, while others are preselected to be lost. This misunderstanding of Scripture carries with it a whole host of problematic doctrines:
1) Scripture teaches Yahuwah desires the salvation of everyone. “Yahuwah is . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) For Yahuwah to play some celestial game of eenie-meenie-minie-moe and preordain some souls to be lost also contradicts the very essence of His revealed character: “Yahuwah is love.” (1 John 4:8)
2) Predestination teaches limited atonement or that Yahushua died only for the sins of those who were preselected to be saved. Such a belief conflicts with Scripture, which explicitly states that Yahushua died for all.
We see Yahushua . . . that He by the grace of Eloah should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)
He died for all. . . . Yahuwah was in Yahushua, reconciling the world unto Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:15 and 19)
3) The idea of irresistible grace is understood by Presbyterians as entailing “two callings, one which is outward and always ineffectual, which is the mere preaching of the Word by human agents, and the second which is inward and always effectual when . . . accompanied by the irresistible calling of the Holy Spirit unto salvation.”1
This teaches that Yahuwah forces the will (because when Yah decides your fate, no amount of rebellion or, contrarily, repentance will change your predetermined destiny.) It is also problematic because it claims that preaching by humans is always ineffectual. This clearly contradicts Scripture: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Yahushua: for it is the power of Yahuwah unto salvation to every one that believeth.” (Romans 1:16)
Presbyterians refer to their church as “reformed and always reforming.” Now, Heaven invites these sincere Christians to continue the work of reformation begun so long ago, lay aside every error that conflicts with the Bible and embrace the pure truth as it is in Yahushua.
